


Into your heart

by adamantine



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (at least for this), (but it's not all misery), Alien Biology, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Bottom Keith (Voltron), M/M, Possible S8 Spoilers, Top James (Voltron), Unrequited Love, but don't get too excited by that tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 05:20:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16737871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adamantine/pseuds/adamantine
Summary: WARNING: This may or may not have S8 spoilers.It’s a bad idea, probably. Sleeping with James. They’re friends, sort of, strangely, and sleeping with a friend seems like a stupid idea. Especially when that friendship is so new, even if technically Keith has known James longer than he’s known anyone else.OR: The one where Shiro is getting married, and Keith just wants to be with someone that sees him.





	Into your heart

**Author's Note:**

> [@AzuleadArt](https://twitter.com/AzuleadArt)’s sheith comic (now featuring jeith!) is really getting to me though this is nothing like that, beyond being written with the same spoilers in mind. we all gotta cope somehow.

It’s a bad idea, probably. Sleeping with James. They’re friends, sort of, strangely, and sleeping with a friend seems like a stupid idea. Especially when that friendship is so new, even if technically Keith has known James longer than he’s known anyone else.

It’s a weird thought. They didn’t talk much when they were kids. Keith was a loner, a delinquent, the kid that got held back a year. James was an annoying, prissy, goody-two-shoes; the kid that reminded teachers when there was homework. The times they did interact didn’t exactly fill Keith with fond memories. But Keith of all people knows not to judge someone solely on their past. James is still annoying and prissy—some things never change—but he’s also kind and thoughtful, resourceful and brave, charming and fun to tease. He’s also a damn good pilot but Keith is careful not to let him know it. It’s more fun when James is trying to prove himself to Keith, going out of his way to add unnecessary spins and flourishes to his flying, like a peacock fanning his tail.

“Keith.” There’s a drawl to the way he says Keith’s name. Keith doesn’t know if it’s an accent coming out or if he’s simply struggling to speak. James’s face is flushed, his hair a mess where Keith raked his fingers through it. Keith doubts he looks much better. He’s burning up everywhere James is touching him and with James pinned underneath him that’s almost everywhere. Keith is surprised by how much he likes this. James isn’t his type, as much as he has a type, and sure they’ve both matured and grown but this is still  _James_  underneath him, the same kid he punched in the face—multiple times. He shouldn’t sleep with a childhood enemy turned coworker turned friend. That’s probably too much baggage.

James tries to flip them. He grabs Keith’s waist, tries to roll over. When that doesn’t work he adds his legs. Keith doesn’t budge. He doesn’t want to. Not yet. Maybe never.

James scowls, but it’s more confused than angry. “What are you, on space steroids?”

“Nope, just Galra.” Keith pins James’s hands above him as a demonstration. James tests Keith’s strength, and it’s almost cute how outmatched he is. Something must show in Keith’s expression because James scowls harder and kicks him, catching him unaware.

“Jerk.” Keith lets go to rub at the non-existent bruise where James’s foot landed.

“Stop looking so smug about your freak alien strength.” 

Keith leans down and whispers in his ear. “I’ll stop looking smug when you stop liking it.”

It earns him another kick. He ignores it to capture James’s lips and a different sort of battle ensues. It’s a battle neither of them can win, but it doesn’t stop them from trying. James’s reaches under his shirt, but it’s shy and careful. Keith moans and it’s the encouragement James needs to explore Keith, touching him everywhere. Keith could get addicted to the feeling. He’s spent too much of his life without touch; he needs to make up for it. James gets their shirts off somehow, and Keith is happy to be free of the oppressive cotton. When James tries to flip them again Keith lets him.

It’s disorientating. He loses where he is, who he’s with, but when James presses down on him the weight is lighter than what Keith’s expecting and he returns to the moment.

James kisses along his jaw and some instinct flares alive in Keith; he tilts his head and exposes his neck, an invitation. James takes the hint and kisses along his neck. Keith squeezes his eyes shut, struggling not to shove James away even as something in him flutters in pleasure. He thinks, faintly, it must be a Galra thing. James’s human teeth would struggle to break through Keith’s skin, but a Galra’s fangs could tear into him with little effort.  It makes him feel vulnerable in a way he hates and likes. James must realize there’s something about the spot that’s driving Keith wild because he stays there, relentless. His teeth scrap against Keith’s throat; Keith reacts automatically, digging his claws—not nails—into James’s shoulders, and lets out a small cry. James pulls back.

“Sorry.” Keith pulls his hands away, tries to hide his claws. He knows it’s a pointless action. If his claws are out, they’re probably not the only things that have changed about him. The lights in James’s room are dimmed but Keith can see everything in sharp focus as if he was made for seeing under darker skies. His mouth feels strange; he’s sure if he was brave enough to check he’d feel sharp points across his teeth.

He’s scared it’s too much for James and he’s not sure what he’ll do if it is. James knows him, James likes him, and if James can’t handle this part of Keith, Keith doesn’t think any human can.

_Shiro could_ , the tiny, unhelpful voice in Keith’s head says. It doesn’t matter if Shiro could. He doesn’t want to. Doesn’t want Keith. Not like this. There’s a reason Keith went home with James tonight. Shiro’s surprise engagement announcement had ripped something out of him, something that can’t be put back. It’s an open wound, bleeding him out.

“Huh, that’s neat.” Keith isn’t sure what James is referring to—the claws, the eyes, or the teeth—but it doesn’t matter. The answer is quintessentially James. Keith can practically see the gears turning in James’s head; he’s trying to figure out the  _how_. He’s not frightened of Keith. Keith feels like laughing—partly in relief and partly because _of course_ Keith’s galra features would bring out the biology nerd in James.

“How does it—“

“—work? I have no idea. It just happens sometimes. I can’t control it.” It’s not entirely true. They’re tied to his emotions and it’s those emotions Keith can’t control, but James doesn’t need to know that.

He inspects Keith’s claws. “Where do they go the rest of the time?”

“It’s some quintessence magic shit, probably.”

“Magic is just science we don’t understa—“

Keith pulls James down into a rough kiss, cutting him off. It’s quickly turning into Keith’s favorite way to shut him up. James doesn’t seem to mind, his hands back to roaming Keith, straying lower and lower.

They reach Keith’s pants. They’re Keith’s nicest pair. It was his attempt to dress up for Shiro’s dinner. He wanted to look nice for him. Everyone came, despite the suddenness of Shiro’s invitations. When Shiro made the announcement that he was getting married Keith thought, stupidity, that Shiro was pranking them. It seemed so absurd. Shiro was getting married? To who? Keith half expected Shiro to pull out a different boyfriend, someone that Shiro hadn’t started dating only a few months earlier. Maybe a freak time travel accident had reunited him with Adam. It didn’t help his disbelief when Shiro was breaking the news to him at the same time he was telling  _Slav._ They’re supposed to be best friends. This felt like the kind of thing Keith was supposed to know before everyone else.

But maybe, Keith thinks, this was Shiro being kind. If they were alone, Keith wouldn’t be able to hide. He wouldn’t be able to avoid Shiro’s eyes and slink off unnoticed to nurse invisible wounds that were somehow making it hard to breathe or think or feel.

No—not unnoticed. James notices him. He always notices Keith. He doesn’t say anything, just sits next to Keith in a hallway near the bathrooms. Keith doesn’t remember sitting down. He’s leaning against the wall one moment and then isn’t. He has no way of telling how much time passed. If time is passing at all, or if he’s going to live in this moment for the rest of his life.

He leaves with James, goes back to James’s quarters at the Garrison. James knows about Keith’s feelings for Shiro. Has always known. And Keith sort of, slightly, knows about James’s feelings for him. But James’s feelings aren’t intense. He likes Keith, but Keith isn’t his everything. James isn’t hopelessly pining after him. He doesn’t have breakdowns in the middle of restaurants because Keith is marrying someone else.

Keith lifts his hips. James slides off the rest of Keith’s clothes.

James stares between Keith’s legs, his eyebrows furrowing. “It's just a regular human dick.”

“Wow, I feel so appreciated. Give my pants back, asshole.”

Keith sits up, pissed off and regretting giving James a chance. Kissing him was nice, but James looking at his cock in disappointment makes Keith want to claw his eyes out. He’s dangerously close to doing it. He’s not exactly feeling emotionally stable.

James panics and does what anyone in his situation would: he wraps his lips around Keith’s cock and sinks down. 

Keith’s brain shuts down, unable to process the way his cock has suddenly disappeared into James’s mouth. He jerks his hips. It’s unintentional and forceful as a result; James’s eyes go wide. It’s a miracle he doesn’t choke.

Keith wants to apologize, but before he can remember how to form the words, James recovers and Keith forgets everything that isn’t James’s mouth on his cock. He tugs at James’s bangs, helping James find a rhythm. James takes orders well, adjusting to exactly what Keith wants. Keith rolls his hips just a little. James takes it in stride. His head still bobbing obediently. 

“Feels good.” Keith isn’t going to last. Not with the way James is taking him—like he can handle anything Keith can throw at him.

He yanks James away, certain if he doesn’t James will do something stupid—like swallowing—and Keith can’t handle that level of boldness right now. He comes on his stomach, his back arching as he does.

He collapses when it’s over. He struggles to catch his breath and is only dimly aware of James cleaning him off with tissues.

“That was fast,” James says and Keith considers ripping out his throat. 

James seems aware of Keith’s intentions. He gestures nervously at Keith’s cock like it too might grow fangs and attack him. “Not—I mean—you’re hard again. Is that a Galra thing?”

“What’s a Galra thing?” Keith narrows his eyes.

“An almost non-existent refractory period.”

“Meaning?”

“It’s—uh.” James looks slightly embarrassed. “Am I the first guy you’ve been with?”

“No, but you’re the first human.” Keith has no idea if something about him is a Galra thing or if it’s a Galra  _and_  human thing; he doesn’t have the experience needed to compare.

“Wow, I’m you’re first, huh? Thanks for the honor.” He wraps a hand around Keith’s cock, his confidence back.

“Human. First human.” It doesn’t come out as angry as Keith intends it to.

“What next?” James twists his wrist lazily around Keith’s cock. It’s nice, but it’s not what Keith needs.

Keith yanks at James’s pants, making him yelp. James gets the message and takes them off, folding them neatly and placing them on a chair. Keith’s clothes are carelessly thrown on the floor. Of course, James’s clothes aren’t allowed to wrinkle, but fuck Keith’s clothes.

Keith looks at James’s cock and frowns. “Just a regular human cock, huh? No claspers? No barbs?”

“Is—is that what Galra have?” James says it like he’s genuinely worried his human cock might be a dealbreaker for Keith. It’s cute.

Keith smirks. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” Watching James squirm is fun; he could keep at it all night.

“What do you want?” James asks. The question is simple, but it’s one Keith isn’t used to hearing. The wounds in Keith’s heart bleed and throb.

He wants to forget.

He wants to feel good.

He wants to be with someone that looks at him. _Really, looks at him._  Someone that sees him and knows him and doesn’t run away.

James makes quick work in prepping him, not bothering to tease him. Keith appreciates it. His mood has shifted from playful to desperate. James lines himself up but hesitates as he enters so Keith takes charge, wrapping his legs around James and brings them together. It burns but in a good way that Keith can handle.

He looks into James’s eyes. He feels emotions he can’t quite name but they’re warm and pleasant inside him. It’s not love, but it’s not unrelated. Friendship, probably. Except, Keith thinks deliriously, you usually don’t sleep with your friends.

James fucks into him slow and steady and it’s just what Keith needs. Keith entwines their hands and his insides do a funny twist when James kisses him chastely. He feels noticed. Cared for. It’s a type of attention he’s never had. It makes everything more intense.  

“James.” He sucks on James’s lips. “James.”

James pulls away and kisses Keith’s forehead. This simple, sweet gesture makes Keith clench around him. It feels like a betrayal. But Keith doesn’t dwell on it—he can’t.

James picks up the pace and the sweetness is replaced with a raw, hungry desire. James seems to realize Keith can take all his strength, and then some. He grabs at James, meets his thrusts with his own strength and it’s not long before they’re over the edge. James comes inside him, locked into place by his legs. Keith wanted the feeling of it. He doesn’t care about the hassle after.

James pulls out and lays down next to him, exhausted and panting. He smells like sex and sweat. Keith breathes it in; he likes it. He tangles their legs together and ruts against James’s thighs.

“Are you seriously hard again?”

Keith quirks an eyebrow. He feels lighter; the wounds in his heart are less gapping. Maybe later, they’ll reopen. At the wedding, at the anniversaries, at all the times he remembers Shiro never saw his love. Or maybe he did but didn’t want it. “Is that a problem?”

“No. I’ll just have to exhaust you.”

“Good luck. Pretty sure I have more stamina than you.”

James doesn’t like hearing that. He’s never been good at being second best. “We’ll see about that.”

Keith laughs. It’s an easy thing. Light and boneless, the product of the way James has made him feel.

James looks at him in shock. Keith doesn’t ask why.

Maybe sleeping with James _is_ a bad idea. This too might hurt him one day. Might hurt both of them.

But for now, Keith doesn’t regret it. And neither, he thinks, does James.

**Author's Note:**

> you get to decide if jeith truly starts falling for each other or if shiro starts filling out those divorce papers.


End file.
